


That Can Be Arranged

by XxmerthurcatxX



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Always Blue Loki, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, Brief violence and injury, Cause that's my kink, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Jotunn Loki (Marvel), Loki needs love, Love, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Pretty Loki, Prince of Jotunheim, Rated for sex in later chapters, SO MUCH FLUFF, Slow Burn, Sort Of, Thor is a good brother, Touch-Starved, kind of, mostly hinted at, sort of past abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-05-26 00:14:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14988584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxmerthurcatxX/pseuds/XxmerthurcatxX
Summary: Aada is less than thrilled when her father, Odin, announces she will be marrying a Jotunn Prince to ensure peace between the two kingdoms. But Prince Loki isn't anything like she thought he would be. He's an obnoxious brat with a quick tongue and a penchant for mischief, but there's something else beneath the surface that she can't help but be drawn to.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the link to the playlist I made to go along with this fic!
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/user/javidsblissfultardiscloset/playlist/4HmQMj4KKhX7l2ARulAEqp

Aada stood with her ear pressed to the door of the throne room. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop on the proceedings of such a meeting between the Odin and Laufey, but considering the topic of war was on the table she thought her father would understand this once. It wasn’t as though she could hear much through the doors anyway; just the occasional raised voice and words like “war” and “union” and “marriage.” Wait...marriage? At the sound of footsteps she moved away from the doors abruptly and rounded the corner as not to be seen. 

 

She pressed herself back against the wall, hoping to go unnoticed as King Laufey and his party passed her by. She had forgotten how large Frost Giants were and she couldn’t help but shrink even further back, not so much in fear as general discomfort. 

 

“You can come out now Aada.”

 

She jumped at the sound of her brother’s voice, rounding the corner and smiling sheepishly at Thor. Normally he’d offer a smirk and a knowing comment about her snooping around. But not today. His face was uncharacteristically serious and if she didn’t know better she would say he looked sad. 

 

“What’s wrong brother? Is there going to be a war?” she asked. 

 

Thor shook his head and Aada let out a breath. No war. That was good at least. But then what could bring such a look to her brother’s face?

 

“Father wishes to speak with you,” he told her, gesturing for her to enter the throne room. 

 

She nodded, not missing the look he gave her. One of...pity. She tried not to dwell on it as she came to stand in front of the throne.

 

“Father,” she greeted, offering a brief bow to Odin. 

 

“Aada. You know there has been unrest between Asgard and Jötunheim?”

 

“I do.”

 

“And you know that we would like to avoid a war?”

 

“I do. Father, what’s going on?” she asked, unable to quell her curiosity. 

 

Odin sighed. 

 

“Laufey and I have reached an agreement to ensure peace. There will be a union. Laufey’s youngest son will be wed...to you.”

 

Aada’s blood ran cold as she gaped at her father. 

 

“Father, you-you can’t be serious! You’re marrying me off?”

 

“I have arranged for him to live on Asgard so you will not have to set foot on Jötenheim. A small consolation I know, but-

 

“You would have me marry a monster?!” she cried. 

 

“Enough! It is your duty. To your people. As my daughter. You will be wed to Laufey’s youngest son and that is the end of it,” Odin said, fixing her with a look that meant the discussion was over. 

 

Aada stormed out of the throne room, ignoring Thor’s calls for her to wait. She didn’t stop until she was safely in her chambers. Marry a Jötun? This had to be a joke. Her doors opened a moment later as Thor stepped in. 

 

“You took that better than I thought you would,” he said, smiling. 

 

She whirled around to face him. 

 

“Are you trying to be funny? Now is not the time!”

 

Thor steeled his expression. 

 

“I know. My apologies sister, I was merely trying to lighten the mood.”

 

Aada wanted to be angry. She wanted to shout. She wanted to hit something. Instead she felt tears running down her cheeks and she couldn’t help but throw her arms around Thor and just cry. 

 

“It’s because I’m half human isn’t it?” she sniffled. 

  
  


Thor’s hand stilled on her back. They didn’t talk about her parentage often. It was a sore subject. Odin stepping out with a mortal woman, resulting in a child being born on Midgard. She had lived there, with her mother, until she was fourteen. Her mother had gotten sick and when she passed away Odin had appeared and brought her to live on Asgard. 

 

She hadn’t belonged on Midgard and she didn’t feel any more at home on Asgard, despite being here for over a hundred years now. Her pattern of speech was different. Her hair was bright red and curly as her mother’s had been. Half human and half god. She was strong as all Asgardians are, and she had the same longevity to her life. But she wasn’t a true goddess. Where Thor was God of thunder, she was Goddess of nothing. Odin had told her once, before she was of age, that her power could appear over time, but she had always doubted that would be the case. 

 

“Your parentage is nothing to be ashamed of,” Thor said finally, pulling back to look at her face. “You are of Asgard. You are my sister. Father is only doing what he believes to be right.”

 

Aada sniffed again, wiping at her eyes and nose. 

 

“Easy for her to say. You’re not the one marrying a giant.”

 

“From what I understand Laufey’s youngest son is smaller than an average Frost Giant. He’s somewhat of an outcast.”

 

Aada scoffed. 

 

“Great. Two outcasts thrown together for sake of convenience. How fitting.”

 

Thor sighed and gave her shoulder a squeeze. 

 

“All will be well sister. You’ll see,” he told her before leaving to attend to whatever future king of Asgard things he had to do. 

 

Aada had always been thankful for Thor’s kindness. He had accepted her as his sister the moment she set foot on Asgard. While Frigga was warm there was something behind her eyes that made Aada feel guilty. It couldn’t be easy having Odin’s daughter from another woman under her roof and though she had cared for Aada and offered her kind smiles and words of wisdom, she knew it pained her. 

 

Her thoughts drifted to her future betrothed. What did he think of all this? He couldn’t be happy to be marrying an Asgardian, let alone a half human. Frost Giants were known to be cruel. 

 

She could only hope that he would not be.


	2. Chapter One

Valkyrie leaned over the railing, staring down at the parade of Jötun making their way to the palace. 

 

“Don’t you want to see?” she called over her shoulder to Aada, who was slumped low in a chair, fiddling with a puzzle box Thor had given her when she was little more than a child. 

 

“I’ll see them soon enough,” she grumbled. 

 

Val’s gasp of surprise was enough for Aada to look up. 

 

“What is it?” 

 

“They’ve got one in chains.”

 

Aada hopped to her feet, coming to join Val. Her eyes landed on a Jötun who was smaller than the others. His hands and feet here bound in chains and a veil covered his face, all but his mouth and chin. From the way he was moving she guessed he was also sporting an injury or two, though from the distance she couldn’t tell for sure. 

 

“A slave perhaps?” she asked, unable to hid her disgust. There were serving maidens in the palace to be sure, but they were treated with dignity and respect. 

 

“Hmm, perhaps,” Val echoed. 

 

A moment later they were being called to the courtyard to greet the party. Aada fought hard against the tremors threatening to wrack her body. No. She wouldn’t show them she was afraid. 

 

“King Laufey,” Odin greeted, bowing politely. 

 

“King Odin.”

 

Odin offered his hand to Aada, who took it and allowed herself to be led forward and presented to the king of the frost giants. 

 

“My daughter. Princess Aada.”

 

Laufey held out his own hand and Aada was surprised when the frost giant to his left handed him the chain that had been used to lead the smaller Jötun she had seen earlier. He gave a tug to the chain, forcing the boy forward. 

 

“My youngest son. Prince Loki.” 

 

There were murmurs of surprise from the Asgardians who had been brought to witness the arrival of the Jötun. Even Odin shifted beside her in discomfort. 

 

“Fear not. He’s in chains because he thought he might try to escape on our journey here. He is no danger to you,” Laufey explained, as though this was reason enough to bind a member of his own royal family in chains.

 

Laufey held the chain out to Aada who, upon receiving a nod from her father, took it. 

 

“As is the custom of the Jötun, now that he is handed over to you he will no longer be one of us. He will never return to Jötenheim and the treaty between us will hold strong.”

 

“Will you not stay for the ceremony?” Frigga asked softly from her husband’s side. 

 

Laufey frowned at her, as though being addressed by a woman, even one of royal blood, vexed him. 

 

“No. It is not our way,” he turned to Loki briefly, “goodbye my son. Your sacrifice for your kingdom will not be forgotten.” He leaned in closer to the boy, “Don’t try to run again,” he sneered. 

 

As quickly as they had arrived the Jötun were gone, leaving behind the bewildered Asgardians and the young prince. Thor cleared his throat at Aada’s side, motioning for her to do something. They couldn’t just leave the prince in chains after all. 

 

“I-I will take you to your chambers where you will be staying until our wedding. Is that alright father?” she asked. 

 

“Yes, for Valhalla’s sake just get him out of here,” Odin hissed, eyes darting around at the members of the court still staring. Aada could see the gears in his head turning as he was no doubt devising a way to defuse the situation. 

 

She gave a light tug on the chain, spurring the prince into action. He trudged along behind her, showing no signs of struggle. Once the doors to the room closed behind him she was lost for what to say or do next. The prince still hadn’t said anything and she was beginning to worry. 

 

Thor had been right. He was small. Very small for a Jötun. His height was no different from the men of Asgard, though he was lithe and lean where Asgardians were all brawn and thick muscles. He didn’t look threatening, particularly as he wore only a long black drape over his lower half and nothing was covering his chest except for the gold necklaces that hung from his neck. 

 

He was positively dripping with gold and jewels, at his arms and legs, and threaded through long black hair that fell to his mid back. She was shaken from her inspection of the creature before her when she realized he was still in chains. Without thinking, she moved toward him. He took a step back. 

 

“I won’t hurt you. I just want to get you out of those chains,” she promised, holding her hands up. 

 

“I am not a spooked animal and you don’t need to treat me as such,” he spat. 

 

Her jaw dropped as he spoke for the first time, such harsh words. 

 

“I only want to help.”

 

“Yes, well, if my father hadn’t sealed off my magic I wouldn't  _ need _ your help.”

 

Aada stared at him, trying to figure out what had flipped the switch between the quiet timid prince and the irritable one that was now in front of her. 

 

“Well, as it is, you do need my help. Are you going to let me remove the chains or would you prefer to stay that way?” she asked, suddenly feeling irritable herself. 

 

Loki huffed but held his hands out, which she took as her cue. She gave a harsh tug to the chains at his wrists, opening the clasps with ease and fighting a blush as she dropped to her knees in front of him to do the same to the ones at his ankles. 

 

She walked around to his back to unhook the one at his neck, then moved her fingers to untie the veil. Loki let out an indignant screech and practically threw his body away from her. 

 

“H-how dare you-

 

“Whoa, calm down! I thought it was part of the whole, being bound in chains thing! I won’t do it again so just chill!” she said, dropping her formal Asgardian speech. Loki noticed, straightening up. 

 

“Is this your true manner of speaking? It’s very odd,” he mused. 

 

“Well, I’m half human and I lived on Midgard for a time. Forgive me if I’m not always so formal.”

 

Loki hummed, seemingly curious before he hissed in pain, reaching around to press a hand to his back. 

 

“What’s wrong?” she asked, taking a step forward without thinking again. 

 

“I-I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

 

“Let me see,” she said stubbornly, laying a hand on Loki’s arm. He shrugged it off quickly, curling in on himself. 

 

Aada scolded herself. Clearly he was injured. He’d been chained for norn’s sake. Friendly, non violent touch was something foreign to him, that much was obvious. 

 

“Loki,” she said, trying his name out for the first time. He seemed surprised but turned to face her, though she couldn’t see where he was looking because of the veil. “I just want to help. I’m not going to hurt you. Please.”

 

It took a moment but she caught the almost imperceptible nod before he turned, flicking his hair out of the way to show her his back. She barely held back a gasp. There were angry red lines all the down his back, still fresh with blood. 

 

“Who did this?” she asked. 

 

“Who do you think?” he spat. 

 

It was Laufey then. His own father. Just for trying to run away. She couldn’t blame him for that. If she’d had anywhere else to go she may have tried to leave herself. But Thor would be beside himself with worry and he no doubt wouldn’t have rested until her found her and brought her home safely. She’d thought it better to skip the escape attempt and meet her fate as bravely as she could. 

 

“Would it not be better to call a healer,” Loki griped. 

 

“I  _ am _ a healer.”

 

“How? You are of royal blood. Why would you train to be a healer?”

 

“Royal blood on Asgard all possess healing abilities. Mine aren’t as strong since I’m only half, but I can manage the damage done to your back. I’ve learned other healing techniques from the palace healers as well. It’s the only reason Odin lets me go on adventures and into battle with Thor,” she explained. “I’m going to touch you now, so please don’t move away this time.”

 

Loki’s whole body stiffened as she placed a gentle hand over the first wound but he stayed in place as he was told. Aada concentrated her energy, feeling the wounds close beneath her fingers. Loki let out a surprised breath. 

 

“I-It’s cold,” he said, sounding pleased. 

 

She hummed in acknowledgement. She’d been told that before. While most healers magic was warm, hers was icy. It was something she always chalked up as being a side effect of being half human. 

 

“Not as cold as Jötenheim, I’m sure.”

 

Loki huffed a strange sort of laugh. 

 

“No. Nothing is as cold as Jötenheim.”

 

When she finished she admired her work. His back was free from any scarring. The other healers would be proud. 

 

“I’ll let you rest before dinner. You’ll need it. Asgardians are known to be rowdy,” she said, smiling softly as she made her way to the door. 

 

“I...thank you,” he called after her. 

 

Aada turned to face him, nodding politely before making a swift exit. Thor was waiting outside the door, arms crossed and face full of concern.

 

“Have you been out here the whole time?” she asked. 

 

“Maybe,” he admitted sheepishly. 

 

“And you nag me about eavesdropping.”

 

“As if I would leave you alone with the prince!”

 

“I thought you weren’t worried about him being dangerous,” she teased. 

 

“I’m not! But sister he’s a man and you’re a woman and-

 

“Oh gross Thor! We just met today, how can you even? We’re not even married yet. Ugh. No.”

 

She shook her head vehemently. Sure the prince was lovely, at least what she had seen of him, but as if she could bed someone who still remained shrouded in such mystery. Hell she hadn’t even seen his face!

 

“I saw the way your eyes travelled down to his backside when you led him away sister. We both know you were thinking-

 

“Stop! I was not!” she spluttered indignantly. 

 

Thor grinned at her. 

 

“Oh sister, you were!”

 

The two continued to squabble the entire way to the grand hall. 


	3. Chapter Two

Loki did not join them in the Great Hall for dinner that night. Or the following night. Or the one after that. With the wedding day fast approaching, Aada was starting to worry. She’d been hoping to spend some time with the man she was supposed to be marrying, but he seemed content to stay holed up in his room. According to the servants he’d been accepting the food they brought him so that was good at least. 

 

On the fifth day (the day before the wedding for norns sake!) she couldn’t wait anymore. She knocked hard on the doors to his rooms, barely containing a giggle when she heard a crash and a muffled curse from inside. The doors opened a moment later to reveal a slightly disheveled Loki. His hair in a haphazard braid draped over his shoulder and he wore a loose fitting sleeveless tunic and matching pants. She also noted that his veil was securely in place. 

 

“Yes?” he asked, sounding put out. 

 

“I am sorry to disturb you. I thought since we are to be married-

 

“You do not need to be so formal. I’ve heard your true manner of speaking. Don’t trouble yourself,” he sighed impatiently. 

 

Aada’s hopes of a stroll through the gardens and a picnic were slowly diminishing. How was she supposed to make nice with the prince when he was hell bent on making her friendship feel so unwanted?

 

“I was just going to ask if you wanted to go for a walk and then eat in the garden, but I can see I’m bothering you. I’ll leave you alone. If you’re happy spending all your time alone in your room, I’m not gonna stop you,” Aada said, turning to leave. 

 

Frigga would be disappointed. She was supposed to be showing Loki kindness and here she was, being rude. But he was just so-

 

“Wait.”

 

She looked back over her shoulder. Loki glanced up and down the hall to make sure there was no one else around before gesturing for Aada to join him in his room. Part of her wanted to stick her tongue out at him and continue down the hall, but she was curious enough that she entered his rooms, crossing her arms and waiting for him to speak as soon as the doors closed behind her. 

 

“I...It’s very hot on Asgard,” Loki said simply. 

 

“Yes it is. And?” Aada asked, arching a brow. 

 

Loki sighed, exasperatedly. 

 

“I am unaccustomed to weather like this. Surely you know Jötunheim is all frozen tundra. I find that it’s a bit cooler in my rooms and my skin gets less irritated,” he explained. 

 

Aada watched him for a moment and noticed for the first time that he was shifting back and forth from foot to foot as if he couldn’t get comfortable in his own skin. Huh. She hadn’t thought of that. 

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked. 

 

“And why would I want to tell you?” he countered. 

 

“I don’t know, maybe because we’re engaged? Or maybe because I’m a healer? I can help.”

 

Loki thought for a moment. Clearly he hadn’t thought of that. 

 

“How exactly do you propose to help?”

 

Aada stepped toward him, taking care to move slowly. She didn’t want to startle him. It was hard to look him in the eye in with veil in place but she looked up at where she thought his eyes were, asking silent permission with her hands hovering just above his. Loki nodded, much quicker than he did when she healed him the first time. 

 

At the first touch of her fingers to Loki’s hands he let out a started breath. 

 

“Did that hurt?” she asked. 

 

“No. No, I...I forgot how cold you are. It feels nice,” he admitted. 

 

Aada fought the blush threatening to creep up her cheeks and focused her energy on Loki. Her healing energy was blue which was not surprising considering the cold sensation is produced. It crept up his skin slowly until it covered his whole body and then faded. Aada let go, stumbling back a little from exertion. Loki’s arm shot out and steadied her. 

 

“Are you alright?” he asked. 

 

“Yeah. I’m good. Always makes me a little woozy. How do you feel?” 

 

Loki jumped and looked down at himself, as though he had forgotten she’d done anything. There was no physical change, but she’d altered the chemistry of his skin to accept the warm Asgardian climate. 

 

“Much better. Thank you,” he said sincerely. 

 

“You’re welcome. I’ll, um, let you get back to whatever it was you were doing before I showed up. If you wouldn’t mind coming to dinner that would be nice. Frigga thinks I’m not being accommodating and that’s why you haven’t been leaving your rooms. Anyway, I’ll see you later,” Aada gave a small wave and left his room hurriedly. 

 

She paused once she was a ways down the hall to stare at her hands. They were still tingling from where she had touched him. Woozy she had said. Yeah right. His skin had been smooth underneath her fingers and warmer than she thought he would be. It felt nice. A little too nice. 

 

“Aada?”

 

She jumped, surprised to see Loki standing there. 

 

“Yes?” 

 

“Is the invitation for a walk still open?” he asked, offering her a small smile. 

 

“Of course.”

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Aada led Loki through the gardens in mostly silence. She hadn’t really thought this far ahead and she was wracking her brain for topics of conversation. 

 

“Asgard is truly lovely,” Loki said as they strolled past a line of bright yellow rose bushes. 

 

“It is. After a hundred years you’d think it would lose its luster, but it doesn’t.”

 

“A hundred year,” Loki mused. “And before that, you were on Midgard?”

 

Aada was slightly taken aback. He was asking about  _ her.  _ She wondered briefly is he really cared or if he was just trying to be polite, but quickly shook that thought from her head. 

 

“Yes. Until I was fourteen. On Midgard they call that the beginning of the teenage years. I wonder sometimes what it would have been like growing up here from birth. I’m sorry I’m rambling. I’m nervous,” she admitted. 

 

“Nervous? Why?” Loki asked. 

 

“I don’t know. I’ve never spent this much time with a Jötun. I didn’t expect you to be the one asking questions.”

 

“Oh? Because you’ve grown up hearing the Jötun are brainless beasts and you assumed I would be the same?” Loki asked, voice calm but tone suddenly icy. 

 

“I didn’t mean it like that. You twisted my words. I-

 

“I’ve grown up hearing about your kind too. Asgardians are all brawn and no brain with hero complexes. As for Midgardians, it’s no secret they are the lowest race there is. All they do is destroy each other and their planet.”

 

Aada’s shock quickly faded into anger. 

 

“You’re right. I have heard stories. I didn’t for one second presume to think you would be a brainless beast, but you talk about Asgard and Midgard when you know  _ nothing _ of the people, so maybe you are.”

 

Loki sneered at her. 

 

“This was a mistake. I’ll take my leave.”

  
  


He turned on his heel and stormed out of the gardens. Aada assumed he had gone back to his rooms, but she didn’t care and she curled up against the nearest wall. Frigga would scold her for getting her new dress muddy. 

 

“Are you alright sister?” Thor asked, coming to join her on the ground and leaning his head against the wall. 

 

“He hates me,” she said, throwing a rock. 

 

“I take it you mean Loki?”

 

“Who else?”

 

“I’m sure he doesn’t hate you,” Thor said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. 

 

Aada scoffed. 

 

“I called him a brainless beast.”

 

“Oh...well...maybe not the best plan if you are trying to gain his friendship.”

 

“I didn’t do it on purpose! He twisted my words around and got all offended and then he was mean and-

 

“He was mean to you?” Thor asked, frowning. 

 

“Yes. He makes me so mad. I know father wants me to do this. To put on a brave face for our people and make friends with the prince, but I don’t know how when he pisses me off so much!”

 

Thor laughed, getting to his feet and pulling her up with him. 

 

“My advice is talk to him. You will not solve anything brooding by yourself. And think of the arguing as  _ foreplay _ . At the very least, it is clear you are both passionate,” he teased.  

 

Aada gave him a hard shove but she was laughing now too. 

 

Thor walked her back to her rooms and they parted until dinner that evening. She noted that despite their little fight Loki was present this time, but he only talked to Frigga, keeping the conversation polite and asking her about magic and books he should look at to improve his own technics. Aada couldn’t help grumbling into her potatoes. Frigga made it look so easy. The friggin picture of grace. She excused herself when she couldn’t take it anymore, making an excuse about being tired. Thor knew better, throwing her a knowing look. 

 

Her doors had hardly closed behind here when she heard a soft knock. 

 

“Thor I’m really not--you’re not Thor.”

 

Loki stood there, hands clasped behind his back and from the way his head was pointed at the floor she assumed his eyes were downcast. 

 

“I wanted to apologize for my behavior in the garden. It was childish. I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. 

 

Aada blinked at him. 

 

“I-I’m sorry too. I really didn’t mean to offend you. I just can’t seem to stop putting my foot in my mouth around you.”

 

“I believe we’re both new to this arranged marriage business and I think it’s safe to say neither of us are handling it particularly well. You slightly better than me. I had to be brought here in chains after all.”

 

“I don’t blame you. I thought about running too, but I couldn’t think of anywhere to go. And this marriage is important. For both our realms,” she said seriously. 

 

“I agree. I promise to be on my best behavior at the ceremony tomorrow. Even if I do find you rather vexing,” he said, the ghost of a smile on his lips. 

 

Aada laughed. 

 

“Believe me. The feeling is mutual.” 


	4. Chapter Three

“I can not believe you’re making me do this,” Thor groaned, tugging at the collar of his vest. 

 

Aada met his eyes in the mirror and arched a brow, unable to do more with the throng of handmaidens tugging her hair in six different directions and draping a truly obscene amount of jewelry over her neck and shoulders. 

 

“Really Thor? You’re gonna complain? Remind me again which one of us is getting married?” 

 

“But your maid of honor is supposed to be a maid! I’m your brother!”

 

“You’re also my best friend and most trusted confidant. There’s no one else I’d rather have up there with me,” she said seriously. The “ _ because I’m terrified and I know if anything goes wrong you can just blast Loki with a bolt of lightening _ ” went unsaid. She was pretty sure Thor understood from the way he smiled and nodded to her before taking his leave. 

 

Frigga came in as soon as Thor was gone, carrying the gown. She wore a bright smile on her face as she helped Aada get ready. 

 

“You know what you’re doing means everything to the kingdom. Your father and I are so proud of you,” she told her, squeezing her shoulders and pressing a kiss to her forehead. 

 

“I know. I’m happy to do it for Asgard, but...” Aada trailed off, unsure how to finish. 

 

“You’re scared. I understand. On my wedding day with Odin I used the sheets as a rope and tried to escape out the window.”

 

Aada couldn’t help the burst of laughter that escaped her. The image of perfect, regal Frigga trying to scale down the side of a castle to run from her wedding was enough to lighten her mood. As was the gown Frigga had brought. 

 

It was a high neckline, loose enough that she didn’t feel like she was choking. The bodice was sleeveless, a creamy color, and the fabric hugged her curves just right. Leave it to Frigga to find the perfect balance of tight enough to show off her form, but not enough for it to be improper. At her waist the color slowly faded to a rich gold as it flowed all the way to the floor. At her own insistence she was barefoot. 

  
  


The maids had worked wonders on her impossible curly red hair. They had braided the top sections and pulled them back from her face, held back with delicate gold combs bejeweled with tiny dark blue stones. The rest was down, stopping just at her breasts. It was exactly how she pictured looking on her wedding day. But what of the groom?

 

Too soon Frigga was bustling her out of the room to stand on the entrance of the Great Hall. Odin was already waiting and as he offered her his arm she couldn’t help but grip his hand as tight as she could. With him holding her up she would be much less liking to trip and fall or worse turn around and high tail it out of there. She shook her head. If Loki could be on his best behavior, then so could she. 

 

Aada took a deep breath as the doors opened to reveal the whole of Asgard staring at her, smiling as she made her way down the aisle. Her eyes were fixed on her groom. 

 

Loki was dressed in a loose cream colored tunic and gold fitted trousers. His vest was a deep blue to match the stones of her jewelry. Like her, he’d had his hair braided, though his was in one long braid down his back and tiny gold strands had been woven in. She couldn’t help but feel tickled that his feet were also bare. It was clear Frigga had been put in charge. Not only did they match each other, but they matched the decour. 

 

Aada was slightly disappointed that his viel was still in place, though he’d swapped out the black one for a deep blue to match the color scheme. All other thoughts were pushed from her mind as they reached the end of the aisle. Odin held up her hand, offering it to Loki, who took it gently in his own, holding fast as they turned to face the officiator. 

 

Aada barely heard the words. She was getting married.  _ Married _ . To a man she couldn’t get through one conversation with without fighting. Even having Thor at her side wasn’t making her feel any better. Norns, why hadn’t she run? Why hadn’t she-

 

“Do you Aada Odinson, Princess of Asgard, take this man, Loki Laufeyson, Prince of Jötenheim, to be your husband through war and through peace, in sickness, in health, until death parts you?”

 

“I do,” she said, her voice sounding steadier than she felt as she slipped a ring onto Loki’s finger. 

 

The words were repeated for Loki. He muttered his “I do” quickly, fumbling a bit in his hast to slide the ring onto Aada’s finger. 

 

Aada turned to face Loki as the officiator tied their hands together, muttering some nonsense about ribbons and being bound forever. She wished she were looking into Loki’s eyes. Maybe then she would know what he was thinking. 

 

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. We shall seal this union with a kiss!” he bellowed, sparking cheers from the Asgardians. 

 

Loki jumped in surprise and Aada wondered if it was done differently on Jötenheim. When it became clear that Loki wasn’t going to move Aada rolled her eyes, rising up on her tiptoes and pressing a kiss to Loki’s lips. It was chaste and over in a split second, but apparently it was all the Asgardians needs to erupt into a cacophony of whoops and whistles. 

 

“We are to lead the way to the garden so the celebrations may begin,” she whispered, taking Loki’s hand and tugging him toward the doors. 

 

He seemed to shake himself out of his stupor, fingers tightening around hers and allowing himself to be led out the doors and out of the palace to the gardens. 

 

They were seated at an ornate table piled high with every dish the cooks in the kitchens knew how to make. Loki was awkward, muttering brief thanks as person after person came up to congratulate them. Aada smiled. It was kind of cute. For all his quick words and airs of grace, he was clearly uncomfortable around so many people. She was startled from her thoughts when Thor clapped his hands, calling everyone’s attention. Whatever he was up to, she didn’t like it already. 

 

“My fellow Asgardians! On this, such a joyous night, we must having dancing! And who better to start things off than this newly wedded husband and wife!”

 

There were cheers all around as the crowd parted to make room. Aada glared hard at Thor, willing whatever dorment Goddess powers she may have to show themselves so that she may smite her brother where he stood. Loki cleared his throat, getting to his feet and offering her his hand. 

 

“Really?” she asked, unable to hide her surprised. 

 

“It is unlikely they will leave us alone until we comply,” he reasoned. 

  
  


Aada nodded. He was right. What Asgardians want, they tend to get. She took his hand and let her lead him to the middle of the garden. The band started up a waltz which she was thankful for. She didn’t think Loki would take to kindly to any of Asgards less, uh,  _ proper _ dances. 

 

She was reminded how elegant and light on his feet her was and he twirled her flawlessly around the garden, his hand a comforting weight at her waist. It was strange. Despite being perfect strangers, and the fact that so far he was doing a fantastic job of being generally dislikable, it was grounding being this close. Less overwhelming. 

 

“So...we’re married,” she said. 

 

“An astute observation,” he sighed. 

 

“I’m just saying, jeez. I mean, it actually happened. You didn’t run away.”

 

“Neither did you,” he pointed out. 

 

“Yes, but I’m not the one with the track record.”

 

Loki’s laugh startled her. 

 

“True. It’s not as though I have anywhere to go anymore. Which is a shame because with my magic back it would now be infinitely easier to do so.”

 

“You have your magic back? How? I thought Laufey sealed it off,” she asked. 

 

“Only until we married. He knows what my magic means to me. He knew I would do anything to have it back Even...” he trailed off. 

 

“Even marry an Asgardian who drives you nuts?” she supplied. 

 

“Yes. Even that,” he said, his smile surprisingly warm. 

 

The music stopped and the trumpets sounded, signaling the start of another dance. Oh dear. Aada knew it was getting to be  _ that _ time of night. When Asgardians threw any sense of propriety right out the window. Loki seemed to sense it too. 

  
  


“Might I suggest we retire to our rooms?” he asked. 

 

Aada wondered if he registered the implication of his words, but she accepted anyway. Odin and Frigga nodded to her as they passed the table and Thor sent a very enthusiastic thumbs up. 

 

As soon as the doors of their chambers closed behind her Aada began fidgeting. She glanced around the rooms.  Sometime during the festivities her things had been moved from her private rooms into these ones. Well, Asgardians certainly didn’t waste anytime. 

 

“Are we going to consummate our marriage?” Loki asked, blunt as ever. 

 

“Um, that’s traditionally what a husband and wife are supposed to do on their wedding night.”

 

“So it’s what’s expected of us then?”

 

Aada nodded, nibbling her bottom lip.

 

“Right. I supposed we should, disrobe,” he said, beginning to undo the fastenings of his vest. Well, straight to business then. It wasn’t until he had stripped off his shirt before she found her voice. 

 

“Would, um, would you mind helping me with my dress? There are clasps all down the back and I can’t reach them.”

 

Loki froze for a moment but shook himself, moving to stand behind her. Aada pulled her hair out of the way, swallowing hard as nimble fingers made quick work of the hooks. She turned to face him, arms crossed over her chest to keep the dress from falling off her shoulders. 

 

“You can keep the veil on,” she said suddenly, the thought just occurring to her. “If you would be more comfortable.”

 

“You would bed a man who’s face you have yet to see?” he asked. 

 

“I  _ married _ a man whose face I haven’t seen. And besides it wouldn’t be the first time.”

  
  


Loki paused. 

 

“What?”

 

“There was a masquerade ball about a year ago. The man I was uh...let’s just say we were in a bit of a rush and the mask didn’t get a chance to come off,” she explained. 

 

“You’ve been with a man?” he asked, shock clear in his voice. 

 

“Oh. Yes. I mean, not many, but a few. Virginity isn’t a coveted prize on Asgard. Is this going to be an issue? I mean, I assume you’ve bedded a maiden or two.”

 

Loki rubbed his hands together nervously. Aada blinked at him. 

 

“Are you a virgin?” she asked. 

 

“I’ve never had occasion to...explore the more carnal desires,” he snapped. 

 

“ _ Carnal desires _ ,” Aada laughed. “At least call it sex. Or making love. Anything but  _ carnal desires _ .”

 

At Loki’s frown Aada schooled herself as she remembered how she had felt her first time. She’d been nervous and it had been ridiculously awkward. Loki was a prince. Bedding maidens was expected of princes. He was embarrassed. That much was obvious. She placed a gentle hand on his arm. 

 

“We don’t have to. Not tonight.”

 

“But we’re supposed to.”

 

Aada shrugged. 

 

“As long as we continue to share a chamber they’ll assume we’re doing it. I don’t want to do anything you’re uncomfortable with and besides, we’ve only known each other for a week. And I don’t mean to overstep, but I’ve noticed touch isn’t something you’re particularly comfortable with.”

 

“I do not need you to coddle me,” he growled. 

 

Aada rolled her eyes. 

 

“For Norns sake Loki, I’m not trying to coddle you. You’re not comfortable with me yet and that’s okay. I’m the one with experience here and I don’t want your first time to be a negative one, done just because it’s what’s expected of you.”

 

“What if I never want to?” he asked quietly. 

 

“Then we won’t. We were forced into this union by necessity, but they don’t have control over what happens behind closed doors.”

 

Loki nodded, reaching out and giving Aada’s hand a light squeeze before turning to get ready for bed. 

 

Aada excused herself to the bathing chamber. She washed quickly, tugging her hair from the intricate braids, before pulling on a loose fitting tunic and pants to sleep in. When she returned Loki had already climbed into bed, curled up all the way on one side. 

 

Aada sighed, stepping up to bed and using her magic to draw a sheer curtain between the two of them. Loki turned to see what she was doing. 

 

“There. Now you have your side and I have mine. And you can remove your veil and not worry about me seeing you.”

 

Through the curtain she could see Loki do as she had said, taking care to lay his veil on the table beside the bed. He curled up with his back facing her. 

 

“Goodnight.  _ Husband _ ,” she said. 

 

“Goodnight. Aada.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Chapter Four

Loki fit in surprisingly well in the palace. He kept mostly to himself, taking to spending most of his days reading in the garden. Frigga liked him immensely and now that his magic was no longer sealed off the two met regularly for lessons. 

 

In the months that followed he and Aada fell into a routine. They made appearances together when appropriate and they kept each other’s company in their chambers at night. The union had gone unconsummated, something Aada knew would displease Odin were he to find out, but with their friendship still fragile and growing she didn’t want to upset anything. Though she would be lying if she said her mind didn’t drift to Loki when they were apart. 

 

“Does he take off the veil when you make love,” Thor asked nonchalantly when he and Aada were taking lunch in the courtyard one day. 

 

Aada choked on her wine. 

 

“What kind of question is that?”

 

“Is that a no?”

 

Aada glanced around to make sure they were truly alone before gesturing for Thor to lean in closer. 

 

“If I tell you something, do you promise to keep it a secret?” she asked. 

 

“Of course sister. You know you can tell me anything.”

 

“Okay. You just, you can’t tell father.”

 

Thor frowned but nodded. 

 

“We haven’t slept together,” she whispered. 

 

“The union is unconsummated?!”

 

Aada slapped a hand over Thor’s mouth quickly, eyes darting around once more. The courtyard was mercifully still empty. She glared at her brother. 

 

“Keep your voice down. Yes. It’s unconsummated.”

 

“But why? It’s been months. Surely you are fond of each other by now?”

 

Aada smiled, shaking her head. It was true that they’d struck up a sort of friendship, but Loki still got on her nerves daily and she knew she got on his as well. There was physical attraction, at least on her part, for sure. He was beautiful, long and lean and graceful. But she knew based on his views of both Asgardians and Midgardians, he probably didn’t find her particularly appealing. 

 

“We’re friends and he drives me crazy. It’s better than where we were at when we first got married, but it’s not great. He still doesn’t trust me enough to show me his face. I tried to bring it up once and he didn’t leave our rooms for a week,” she explained. 

 

Thor hummed, sitting back in his chair as he mulled it all over. 

 

“And you sister? Are you content with the way things are?” he asked. 

 

Aada sighed, shaking her head. 

 

“I’m fine not having sex. But...I  _ like _ him Thor. I do. For all that he pushes my buttons, I’m drawn to him. It’s not a burden to be married to him.”

 

“Well then, I think you should  _ talk _ to him. Of course we both know that you rarely take that advice, no matter how often I offer it to you,” he teased. 

 

Aada stuck her tongue out at him, taking another long sip of wine. Thor was right, as much as it pained her to admit it. Things weren’t going to change if they didn’t talk. And really, what could be so bad that he needed to hide behind a veil?

 

When she was finished with lunch and had said her goodbyes to Thor she headed back to her chambers. It had been a long day and she wanted to rest for a while. There were still hours to go before dinner, and she had plenty of time for once. She opened the doors to her rooms, happy to find them empty so she could read on her own for a while. She had just curled up in a chair with a book when the doors of the bathing room opened to reveal Loki, fully dressed...except for his veil. His eyes landed on her and he yelped, quick to cover his face with his hands. 

 

“Loki, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were-

  
  


“Get out! Get out right now!” he cried. 

 

Aada was on her feet in a second to leave when she saw Loki was close to hyperventilating. His hands were pressed so hard over his face she was afraid he would hurt himself. 

 

“Please, please Loki calm down. I won’t look okay? Just breathe. You’re freaking me out!”

 

“ _ I’m _ freaking  _ you _ out?!”

 

Aada grabbed his veil from the bedside table, bringing it to him. He was shaking hard, trying to shrink away from her. She’d only caught a glimpse of his face but she hadn’t seen anything that warranted a veil. She wanted a better look, but he was clearly terrified of her seeing and she knew better than to push it. 

 

“I have your veil. I’ll turn my back so you can put it on but Loki, I  _ saw _ . Only for a second but I didn’t, I mean, I don’t understand what you’re hiding,” she said honestly. 

 

Loki huffed a self deprecating laugh and surprised her by moving his hands away from his face. Her breath caught. 

 

“Well look closer then! Look at the monster you married,” he sneered. 

 

Aada took her time. His face was the same shade of blue as the rest of him and like all Jötun he had raised lines on his cheeks, chin, and forehead. His eyes were red, both in color and from unshed tears. It was strange, seeing what was above the pointed chin and thin lips she’d grown so used to seeing. He was handsome. Beautiful even. 

 

Loki seemed to take her silence as disgust and the tears that had been brimming spilled over. He scrubbed at them impatiently as a child would. 

 

“I don’t understand,” Aada said quietly. 

 

“What’s to understand? I’m a runt. The smallest in my family. I look nothing like the rest of the Jötun,” he snapped, words losing some of the bite as his voice wavered. 

 

Aada shook her head, catching Loki’s wrists and pulling his hands away from his face. The longer she looked the angrier she was at Laufey and his other sons for making Loki feel like he was lesser than they were. That his delicate and un-Jötun like features made him ugly. 

 

“Your face is,” she wracked her brain for the perfect word, “nice,” she finished lamely. 

 

Loki frowned, managing to look incredulous even with the tears running down his cheeks. 

 

“Nice?”

 

“I’m sorry, that wasn’t very eloquent. I meant, um, you’re beautiful,” Aada said, blushing. 

 

“Are-are you mocking me?” Loki asked. 

 

“Do you really think I’d be so cruel?” 

 

Loki’s eyes searched her face for any kind of ridicule and found none. 

 

“Oh. So you really think I’m...”

 

“Beautiful,” she said. “Yes. I really do.”

 

She brought a hand to his face, brushing her thumb over his cheekbone and smiling when he leaned into it. 

 

“I’m sorry I scared you. I was just coming back to the rooms to read for a bit, I didn’t know you would be here.”

 

Loki shook his head.

 

“It’s alright. I-I’m glad it happened. I’m not sure I ever would have gotten the courage to show you on my own. Not with you being so, well, you know,” he gestured vaguely to her form. 

 

Aada glanced down at herself. 

 

“So, what?” she asked, suddenly feeling self conscious as she moved to pull her hand away. Loki caught her with a hand at the waist before she could move too far and reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. 

 

“You are quite lovely,” he said earnestly. 

 

They stood together for a long moment, content to be in each other’s company before Loki cleared his throat, finally letter her go, effectively ruining the moment. 

 

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m meeting Frigga for a magic lesson.”

 

Aada caught him by the front of his tunic and leaned up to press a brief kiss to the corner of his mouth before she lost her nerve. She grinned at the blush on his cheeks, then offered him the veil she realized she was still holding. Loki shook his head.

 

“I don’t need it,” he said, smiling before he turned to leave. 

 

A second later he turned back, snatching the veil from her and securing it back over his face. 

 

“I lied. I-I’m not quite ready to be without it.”

 

“That’s okay. Take your time. There’s no rush.”

 

She watched Loki go, smiling to herself as she finally settled back in her chair and pulled out her book. 

 

It didn’t escape her notice that when Loki joined her back in their rooms that evening the first thing he did was remove the veil. 

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“So,” Thor started as he plunked down next to Aada at breakfast a few days later. “I could not help but notice Loki is without his veil,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

 

“Don’t start with me. I saw him on accident, we talked, we kissed, that’s all.”

 

“You kissed?!” Thor asked excitedly. 

  
  


“Yes. Now shut up and let me eat in peace,” she grumbled, shoving a handful of blueberries into her mouth. 

 

“Aada, might I have a word,” Frigga asked, getting to her feet and gesturing for Aada to follow her. Aada sighed. Apparently breakfast wasn’t sacred to anyone anymore. 

 

“Is something wrong?” she asked when they were a fair distance away.

 

“Loki has confided in me that the two of you have yet to consummate your union. Is this true?”

 

Aada swallowed hard, considering playing dumb. She knew better. Frigga would see right through her. 

 

“Yes, it’s true.”

 

“I thought as much.”

 

“We’ve only known each other a short time and I don’t want to freak him out and honestly I don’t think either of us are ready and-

 

“Relax my dear, I am not angry. I just want to warn you that if this gets out it could spell trouble for both Asgard and Jötunheim. An unconsummated union technically means the marriage is not binding. We must avoid war with Jötunheim at all costs,” Frigga said seriously, giving her arm a gentle squeeze. 

 

“I know.”

 

“Besides, do you not find him attractive? Now that he is without the veil he is quite fit.”

 

Aada gaped at her, but Frigga just laughed. 

 

“What? I may be married to Odin, but I can appreciate a pretty face,” she said, smiling.

 

“H-he is nice to look at,” Aada admitted. 

 

“Nice? If the best you can do is nice I can see why it is taking you so long to coax him into bed.”

 

“Frigga!” Aada squeaked. 

 

The Queen laughed, giving Aada a soft kiss on the forehead. “Think about what I said,” she whispered, before heading back to the Great Hall to finish breakfast. 

 

Aada watched her go, shaking her head. Coax him into bed indeed. They’d only kissed twice and one of them had been at their wedding ceremony. No. Rules be damned.  She would wait until Loki was ready. 


	6. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some drama! There is brief talk of injury in this chapter, so just a heads up!

Aada wasn’t spying. Thor disagreed, but after she had successfully yanked him into a headlock and messed up his perfect hair he conceded. She was watching Loki practice his magic in the garden from a distance, hidden behind a particularly large rose bush, because she didn’t want him to feel self conscious. It wasn’t creepy. She was curious for Norns sake. He spent so much time on his magic and she wanted to see what it was all about. 

 

Loki stood by the marble fountain in the middle of garden, making a blue flame appear and disappear in his hand. He took a breath, focusing on making the flame smaller so he could twist it back and forth around his fingers. He repeated the process in his other hand, then brought his hands together, combining the flames to create a larger one which he promptly hurled at the rose bush Aada was hiding behind. 

 

“Show yourself,” Loki commanded. 

 

Aada cursed under her breath as she stepped out from behind the bush, looking sheepish. Loki quirked a brow in surprised, snapping his fingers to make the flame go out and crossing his arms. 

 

“Sorry. I wasn’t trying to snoop. I was curious,” Aada said, fiddling with the cuffs of her tunic. 

 

“It’s alright. Perhaps hurling the flame was a little overkill. Though to be fair I did not know it was you.”

 

“Hmm, would you have been more of less likely to throw the flame if you knew it was me?” 

 

“I’m not sure. It would depend on my mood I suppose,” Loki said, lips quirking in a teasing smile. 

 

Aada huffed a laugh. She watched as Loki once again summoned the flame to his hand, twisting it around his fingers with ease. She couldn’t help but feel a little envious. Her own magic wasn’t very strong, which wasn’t surprising considering she was half human. Most of her talents were related to healing, which though useful, wasn’t quite as fun as being able to do things like summon flames in her hands. Loki seemed to sense her thoughts. 

 

“I’m sure with practice you could develop your skills.”

 

Aada shook her head. 

 

“No, Frigga tried when I was younger. My particular gifts are geared toward healing. Something that has come in handy, believe me. Summoning flames without getting burned is beyond me I’m afraid,” she explained. 

 

Loki frowned, offering her the hand that the flame was currently dancing around. 

 

“Try to touch it,” he told her. 

 

Aada nodded, reaching out slowly and touching her fingers gingerly to the flame in his palm. It didn’t hurt. There was no burn. Instead it was cold. 

 

“How?” she asked, following the flame as it flickered around his fingers. 

 

“I’m a Jötun. I have yet to master burning fire. Mine is icy,” he explained. “Still useful in a fight I suppose.”

 

“Oh? Are you anticipating a fight?” Aada asked, frowning. 

 

“With you around? Always,” he said peevishly. 

 

Aada rolled her eyes, giving him a light shove, enjoying the way he nearly fell backwards onto his ass. She was stronger than she looked after all. As she watched him regain his footing she remembered what Frigga had said. 

 

“Can I ask you something?”

 

“If I say no would it make a difference?” Loki asked, extinguishing the flame. 

 

“Not really.”

 

“Then proceed.”

 

“Why did you tell Frigga we hadn’t consummated the marriage yet?” she asked. 

 

Loki blushed, clearly not expecting that, but he glared at her just the same. 

 

“Why did you tell Thor?” he countered. 

 

Aada blinked in surprise. 

 

“Because he’s my brother and I wanted him to stop teasing me about-

 

“Your frigid Jötun husband?” he finished. 

 

“I never said that. Did someone say that to you?” she asked, suddenly feeling protective as she placed a soft hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off. 

 

“I told Frigga because I overheard the servants talking about how they pitied you for having to be wed to me. How I was quiet and cold and boring. How they could only imagine what our sex life was like.”

 

Aada was fuming. 

 

“Who was it? I’m going to have words with them, believe me, I-

 

“You don’t need to protect me! You don’t need to pretend it was not you who gossiped with your servants in the first place. Where else would they have gotten such information?” Loki demanded. “I told Frigga because I wanted her to know that I-I was not cold toward you. That I hadn’t so much as touched you.”

 

“You think I spread lies about you to the maids?” Aada asked, stunned. 

 

“Didn’t you?”

 

“You still think so little of me,” she said, her voice shaking with anger. “I don’t know what else I can do to get you to trust me. To trust that I care about you.”

 

Loki shifted from foot to foot, clearly uncomfortable. His eyes darted to the gate that led out of the garden before landing back on her. He sighed. 

 

“I didn’t-

 

Aada held up her hand, cutting him off. 

 

“You want me to leave you alone. I get it. Wish granted.”

 

She turned on her heel and left the garden, eager to put some distance between them. It was always zero to sixty with the two of them. Maybe it wasn't fair to ask him to have a little more faith in her. Sixth months is hardly enough time to really know someone. But she was tired of fighting. For every step they took forward, they took three back. If he wanted her to leave him alone then she would. 

 

“Sister!” Thor called, running to catch up to her. “Odin has given us a mission. The soldiers sent for recon on Svartalfheim have not returned. We are to go with the warriors three and bring them back immediately. If you need to tell Loki-

 

“Nope. Not gonna tell Loki. Lets go,” she said, grabbing Thor by the arm and dragging him down the hall. 

 

“But won’t he worry when-

 

“He’s not going to worry Thor. He doesn’t care.”

 

“I thought things were going well between you two, Norns would you let go of my arm, you’re holding to tightly,” he groaned, pulling out of her grip and stopping to rub his sore arm. Her half human status did nothing to hinder her Asgardian strength. 

 

“He doesn’t trust me because he thinks I gossipped with the maids about our sex life or lack there of,” Aada griped. 

 

“Well did you talk-

 

“Yes Thor, I  _ talked _ to him about it and he was a royal brat as usual. So let's go now so I can take this out on whoever fucked with the soldiers. Sound good?”  

 

Without waiting for him to respond she grabbed hold of his arm again and dragged him off to see Heimdall who sent them off quickly. The warriors three were waiting for them when they arrived, already at the ready with weapons drawn, surveying the surrounding woods. 

 

“This is where the soldiers were last seen,” Sif said, filling them in. 

 

“Never liked Svartalfheim,” Fandral groussed. 

  
  


“Does anyone like Svartalfheim?” Aada asked, pulling out her knife. 

 

“Oh come now, it’s rude to talk about my home that way.”

 

The party looked up just in time for at least a hundred, maybe more, elves descended from the trees, effectively surrounding them. Aada backed up until her back was pressed against Thor’s. 

 

“Bandits?” she asked. 

 

“Bandits,” Thor agreed, flipping Mjölnir in his hand and swinging it at the nearest cluster of bandits. It was not unusual for the outcasts of Svartalfheim to congregate on the outskirts of the realm, practicing dark magic and picking fights when Asgardian soldiers came to trade or negotiate. 

 

Aada jumped as a yell tore from Sif, turning just in time to see a poisonous arrow twack into her side. 

 

“Cover us!” she called to the others, easily flipping over the two bandits that had been charging her. 

 

“I’m fine!” Sif shouted, still swinging her sword. 

 

“Shut up, it’ll just take a second,” she said, reaching out a hand to heal her side. 

 

Her hand never reached its destination as a grey glow emanated from her whole body, stinging pain suddenly all over, and everything went black. 

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Loki was sitting in the library reading when he heard the commotion. He rolled his eyes, shutting his book and getting to his feet to see what was going on. It wasn’t unlike Asgardians to be rowdy for no reason in the middle of the day, but they seemed upset about something. 

 

“Get out of the way!” Thor bellowed, half running down the hall, nearly knocking Loki over. 

  
  


He didn’t have time to be affronted when he caught a glimpse of who Thor was holding. Aada. He was running after the God of Thunder, almost tripping over his own feet in his haste. 

 

“What happened?!” he demanded. 

 

“Not now,” Thor snarled, picking up his pace. 

 

“Yes now! She’s my wife!”

 

“That didn’t seem to matter when you told her you didn’t trust her!”

 

They had reached the healers and as Thor laid her out on the bed, Loki dropped to his knees, hand at his chest, breathing heavily. Thor turned from his sister for a moment to address the panicking prince. He sighed, crouching next to him and putting a gentle hand on the back of his neck. 

 

“Easy. Breathe. She’ll be fine. She’s going to be fine,” he said, trying to be reassuring despite his own panic.

 

“I don’t understand. Where was she? How did this happen?” Loki asked when he had regained his breath, glancing over Thor’s shoulders to try to catch a glimpse at what the healers were doing. 

 

“Hey. Eyes on me. The healers are doing their job. They’ve got this. Relax.”

 

“Relax? My wife is injured! She could be dying. Oh Norns, the things I said to her. If she dies thinking I don’t-

 

Thor yanked the prince forward into a bone crushing hug, catching him by surprise. He struggled for a moment before resting his head against Thor’s shoulder and squeezing him back. On Jötunheim when he was scared his father told him to grow up. He had never been held thus and despite the fact he usually found Thor to be an insufferable oaf, he was grateful to him. When he had calmed down, he pulled back, taking a deep breath. 

 

“Okay. Tell me what happened.”

 

“I told her she should tell you where we were being sent, but after the fight she did not think it important to you,” Thor said, slightly pleased to see the guilt on Loki’s face. It was clear the prince cared for his sister much more than he let on. “We were on Svartalfheim when bandits attacked. She tried to heal Sif and got hit with a spell. A vile spell. It robbed her of her site and it was as though she was shot with a hundred arrows.”

 

Loki’s breath hitched as his eyes flickered to Aada once again. She looked small laid out on the bed like this, healers bustling around her. 

 

“How can she recover from this? If-if the spell was so bad then-

 

Thor placed gentle hands on Loki’s shoulders.

 

“Because my sister is strong. She will be okay. I swear it,” Thor promised. 

 

Loki nodded, getting to his feet and moving to her side as the healers finished. They had done all the could. The rest was up to Aada. Her breathing seemed to have steadied which was reassuring, though Loki would feel better if she would open her eyes. It was strange seeing her like this. Weak when she was usually so strong. Strong enough to deal with Loki. He felt shame settle in his gut. He'd been a brat and he knew it. It had always been his nature, to strike out with words before he had all the facts. 

 

“May I have a moment?” he asked, not really sure who he was addressing. Thor had the room cleared quickly, offering Loki a sad smile as he closed the door. He stared down at his wife, surprised at the lump forming in his throat. 

 

“Please come back to me,” he whispered. 


	7. Chapter Six

Everything hurt. 

 

Then nothing. 

 

Aada blinked her eyes open slowly, frowning up at the ceiling. She was in the palace. The healer’s quarters. What happened to the trees? The forest on Svartalfheim? What happened to the bandits? Bandits. Right. There had been a spell. Norns had that hurt. Like a thousand pinpricks or arrows or bee stings. Really really bad bee stings. She moved to sit up, but decided against it when her body creaked in protest.

 

“Careful. You’ve been asleep for a week.” Odin smiled softly, coming to stand beside her bed. He brushed her hair back from her forehead, looking down at her fondly. “Do you remember what happened?” he asked quietly. 

 

“Most of it,” Aada said, her voice hoarse. 

 

Odin picked up a water goblet from the bedside table and helped her to sit up a bit so she could lean back against the pillows and take a drink. She tried not to drink too quickly, knowing it may upset her stomach if she hadn’t had anything to eat or drink in a week. When she was finished she looked around the room again. It was empty save for Odin. 

 

“Where is-

 

“Loki?” Odin asked knowingly. 

 

Aada frowned. 

 

“No. Thor.”

 

Odin arched a brow. 

 

“He and Frigga are in the garden. They have both been worried of course. I had to force them out of here to get some air. Loki too.”

 

Aada scoffed. 

 

“I doubt that.”

 

“He has not left your side since you’ve returned. He sits with you all day. He sleeps here. What little we have been able to get him to eat, he eats at your side,” Odin told her, smiling at the look of surprise on her face. 

 

As if on cue the doors opened to reveal a very irritated Loki. 

 

“There. I took a stroll in the garden. Now I-

 

He cut off when he saw Aada sitting up in bed, his eyes widening. 

 

“You’re awake,” he breathed. 

 

Odin looked between the two of them, smiling and shaking his head. He took his leave, doubting they would even notice. 

 

“I’m sorry if I worried you. I’m-

 

“You absolute idiot!” Loki shouted. 

 

Aada gaped at him. 

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“How could you not tell me you were going to Svartalfheim?! It’s one of the most dangerous realms!” he continued, pacing up and down the room. “And then you go and get yourself injured because you have a hero complex and you just had to try to heal Sif  and-

 

“You were worried,” Aada said, unable to keep the surprise out of her voice. 

 

“Of course I was worried you complete and utter fool! You-you left me. We had a fight and then you just left. You could have died and you thought I wouldn’t even care,” he said, top lip curled in anger at showing his own vulnerability. 

 

Aada’s bottom lip trembled and she sniffled, embarrassed to feel tears sliding down her cheeks. Loki was at her side in an instant. 

 

“What is it? Are you in pain? What’s wrong?” he asked. 

 

Aada caught his hand, pressing it to her cheek. She couldn’t form words, but she hoped Loki would understand. From the way his eyes softened, she figured he did. He sat on the bed next to her, cupping her face in his hands as he brought his forehead to rest against hers.    
  


“I’m sorry,” Aada hiccupped. 

 

“Hush,” Loki murmured, thumbs brushing the tears from her cheeks. “I’m sorry too. I never meant to make you think I didn’t care for you. Things are so different here on Asgard. The people are genuine.  _ You _ are genuine. I should have asked you about what I heard from the maids before I lashed out. I am sorry I vex you so.”

 

Aada shook her head. 

 

“I like a challenge,” she said, smiling despite her tears. 

 

Loki smiled back, though Aada noticed it didn’t quite reach his eyes. She took a moment to really look at him. His hair was a mess and his clothes were rumpled. Up close he looked like he hadn’t slept in a week. Maybe he hadn’t if what Odin said was true. 

 

“Will you lay here with me?” she asked. 

 

Loki looked grateful as he climbed fully onto the bed beside her. He seemed unsure what to do with his hands, which was fair. They had long since stopped sleeping with a curtain between them, but they never cuddled. She pulled him close and his arms instinctually wrapped around her as he tucked his face against her neck. She pressed a kiss to his forehead, rubbing his back absently. 

 

“So...you care about me huh?”

 

Loki huffed. 

 

“You really have to ask? I would have thought it was obvious.”

 

Aada smiled. From Loki that may as well have been a love confession. She rubbed his back until his breathing evened out and she was sure he was asleep before she closed her eyes, still tired and in need of healing rest. 

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“You’re right my love, utterly adorable.”

 

“How embarrassed do you think they’d be if they woke up right now?”

 

Aada opened her eyes, adjusting to the light. Her eyes landed on Frigga, Odin, and Thor who were standing by the bed grinning down at her. She felt heat rise to her cheeks as she glanced down at Loki who was still curled against her, snoring softly and drooling on her shoulder. 

 

“It is good to see you awake sister,” Thor said, trying to school his expression into a more serious one. 

 

“You gave us quite a scare,” Frigga added, doing a better job than Thor at making her face behave itself. 

 

“Shh, he’s exhausted,” Aada said quietly, nodding down at Loki. 

 

“Of course he is. He has hardly left your side. Been a right pain in the arse. More so than usual,” Thor groussed. 

 

“We will leave you to rest. Perhaps later you will be well enough to join us for dinner as soon as your husband wakes up,” Odin said, half dragging his wife and son out the doors. 

 

Aada shook her head. Even on Asgard parents sought to embarrass their children. Thor was going to be insufferable after this. 

 

“I hate your family,” Loki grumbled against her neck.

 

Aada giggled, running her fingers through his hair and then tilting his chin up to look at her. She caught his lips in a brief kiss, enjoying the way he pressed closer, sighing against her lips. 

 

“They want us to join them for dinner,” she said when they pulled away. 

 

Loki groaned, tightening his hold around her and hiding his face in her neck once more. 

 

“Couldn’t we stay here? You are healing after all.”

 

“I’m fine, really. And you know Asgardians. When they want something, they get it,” she reminded him. 

 

Loki sighed, prying himself away from her and getting to his feet. He offered her his hand. 

 

“Well come on then. We best not keep them waiting or they’ll send Thor to fetch us,” he grumbled, helping her to her feet. 

 

She really was fine, but that didn’t stop Loki from keeping an arm around her waist as they walked through the palace to the Great Hall. 


	8. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things finally get a little naughty in this chapter ;)

It didn’t take long for Aada to notice that after her near death experience, Loki touched her a lot more. He had always been tactile, long fingers skimming over the pages of the book he read, picking up various baubles from any table he passed before putting them back in place. But now his hands sought Aada. A hand at the small of her back when he needed to step around her, absently running his fingers through her hair when she leaned against his legs while he read. She wondered if he knew what he was doing or if it was entirely unconscious. 

 

It was like a switch had been flipped, now that they’d both confessed their affections. Not that she was complaining. It was nice, being touched like she mattered. Like he cared. She had taken to brushing and braiding his hair for him every morning and in return he would help her with the fastenings of whatever dress or tunic she chose to wear. Everytime his fingers brushed her spine as he tied them she shivered, hoping he didn’t notice that she appreciated his help maybe a little  _ too _ much. 

 

Intimacy was new to Loki. He didn’t like to talk about Jötunheim, but from what Aada had gathered he hadn’t received much in the way of physical affection. And it was kind of nice, putting sex on the backburner, knowing that the soft kisses they shared wouldn’t lead to anything else. At least not yet. 

 

“And once, when she first came to Asgard, she tried to pat a bilgesnipe because she thought it was cute!” Thor roared with laughter.

 

Aada groaned, rolling her eyes. 

 

“Really Thor, you’d think you would run out of embarrassing stories eventually,” she grumbled. 

 

Loki chuckled softly next to her, dropping a hand onto her knee and giving it a squeeze. 

 

“It’s all in good fun, petal,” he said, smiling. 

 

That was new also. Pet names. Aada took a long sip of her wine, trying to ignore the heat where Loki’s palm was resting on her knee. She was mortified to feel heat pooling between her legs. She needed to get out of here before he noticed her predicament.

 

“I’m feeling a bit tired,” she said lamely, getting to her feet. “I think I’ll turn in.”

 

“Would you like me to go with you,” Loki asked, concerned. 

 

“No!” Aada said, perhaps a little to quickly. She smiled what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “I’ll be fine, you enjoy Thor’s stories. I’m sure he’s got more that he’s dying to share.”

 

“As a matter of fact-

 

Aada turned on her heel, trying not to bolt from the Great Hall in her haste to get to the rooms she and Loki shared. 

 

She took a few steadying breaths as the doors closed behind her, her eyes flickering to the doors to the bathing room. Surely it couldn’t hurt anything. Loki was occupied at dinner and would not be back for some time. She stripped out of her clothes as she went, eager for relief. 

 

Aada slipped into the bath, thankful for the hot water that eased her muscles, but did nothing to calm her mind. Loki’s hand on her knee under the table had been meant to soothe her and offer support. Instead she’d felt a growing warmth between her thighs. A warmth that even now felt hotter than the bath water. Her hand had already dipped beneath the water, normally deft fingers trembling as they reached their destination. 

 

She couldn’t help but feel guilty. They’d only just gotten comfortable enough with each other to kiss whenever they pleased. Yet here she was, lips parted and head lolling against the edge of the massive bathing pool. She thought of his pale blue skin, pleasantly warm to the touch while her own skin was perpetually cold, and how the length of his body would feel pressed against hers.

 

Would he ever desire her this way? Did he think about having her in their bed a hundred different ways, just as she did? She certainly liked to think he did. 

 

Close already she moaned, almost missing the sound of the doors opening. 

 

“Forgive me for intruding, I wanted to make sure you were-

 

Aada’s eyes flew open, immediately locking with Loki’s own, which were as big as saucers. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, but nothing came out. Brain finally catching up with what was happening, she yanked her hand away. Not that Loki could see what was happening beneath the water, but she had a feeling he had guessed. 

 

“You...you were-

 

“Sorry! I’m sorry,” she said quickly, “I thought you would still be at dinner. I didn’t think-

 

“Pleasuring yourself,” he finished as though she hadn’t interrupted him, taking a step toward her. 

 

Aada squirmed, though not unpleasantly, under his gaze. 

 

“Yes,” she said quietly. 

 

His eyes were fixed on where her hands were hidden beneath the water. Aada was thankful for the bubbles from the soaps, allowing her to keep at least a shred of dignity. Loki stepped out of his shoes before stepping into the water. 

 

“Your clothes,” she warned. 

 

He looked down as if just realizing he was still fully clothed. His eyes met hers again and he shrugged, continuing to move toward her. He didn’t stop until he was standing between her legs. With her sitting on the ledge like this he was so much taller than she was. 

 

“I would like you to continue,” he said bluntly. 

 

Aada’s eyes widened. This was so far ahead of anything else they had done, but she couldn’t deny the jolt of arousal that shot up her spine at his words.  

 

“Only if you want to of course,” he added hastily, taking her silence as discomfort. “Forgive me, I should not have assumed.”

 

“I want to,” she said honestly, feeling brave though unable to keep from nibbling her bottom lip nervously. 

 

Loki nodded, reaching out with long shaking fingers to brush Aada’s hair back from her neck. 

 

“Touch yourself,” he murmured. 

 

It wasn’t as strange as she thought it would be to continue with him there. With his eyes on her. She shuddered, fingers quickening. 

 

Loki’s hands were all over her, moving through her hair, tracing idle patterns across her shoulders and once sliding down the curve of her breast with his thumb. It was overwhelming. So much more intimate than if it had been his fingers between her legs. Though that thought alone had a moan slipping past her lips, which Loki answered with one of his own. 

 

“C-close,” Aada managed as she felt her own rhythm stutter. 

 

“I want to see. Let me see,” Loki whined, pressing a desperate kiss to her temple. 

 

She came with a choked off cry as she felt his hand in her hair tighten. His eyes were trained on her face, watching in awe. She dropped her head against his chest as she continued to quake through her orgasm, sighing contentedly as he pulled her closer. 

 

Aada slid her arms around his back and held him to her. The feel of his damp clothes pressed against her bare skin was strange but not entirely unpleasant. A blush crept up her cheeks when she remembered she was naked, though the thought was quickly banished when she felt something stir where Loki was pressed against her. 

 

“You’re hard,” she said quietly, glancing down. 

 

It was Loki’s turn to blush and he cleared his throat awkwardly. 

 

“Y-yes well, my apologies.”

 

Aada couldn’t help but giggle. Still so formal after what they’d just done. She brought her hands to Loki’s hips, pulling him forward and encouraging him to straddle one of her thighs, thankful for how close they were in height now that he was at her level. 

 

“What are you doing?” he asked. 

 

“Do you not want me too?” she asked, suddenly worried she had overstepped. 

 

Loki’s eyes searched hers for a moment, widening when he realized what she meant to do. He nodded. She grinned up at him, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek and then using her grip on his hips to drag him forward so his groin brushed against her thigh. The reaction was immediate. Loki’s mouth dropped open in surprise. 

 

“Oh,” he said, as though his own pleasure was unexpected. 

 

Aada giggled again. 

 

“Yes,  _ oh _ . Move your hips. Just like this,” she told him, setting a slow rhythm that he was following himself in no time. 

 

Loki was very vocal, letting out whines and breathy little “ah, ah, ah’s” with every movement of his hips. 

 

“I-It feels,  _ oooh _ ,” he moaned, pressing his forehead to hers and rocking forward faster and faster, chasing his orgasm. 

 

“I know. Let go, love. It’s okay. Let go,” she cooed softly, pressing kisses everywhere there was skin showing. When she tugged the top of his tunic down and nipped across his collarbone she felt his hips stutter as he came with a long groan, fingers gripping the edges of the tub on either side of her. 

 

“That was...unexpected,” Loki said, still breathing hard. 

 

“In a good way though, right?” Aada asked. 

 

Loki smiled, nodding as his fingers curled under her chin and he pressed a languid kiss to her lips. Aada tangled her fingers in his hair, dragging him closer. It was clear Loki was new to kissing, but he made up for his limited skills with enthusiasm, kissing her long and deep. When they pulled back she was breathless. 

 

“I don’t know about you, but I could use an actual bath,” he said, smirking down at her. 

 

Aada splashed him with water by way of answer, giggling at the look of indignation on his face. 

 

“Oh, you think you’re funny do you, petal?” he asked before lunging for her. 

 

By the time they actually left the bath, the water was nearly cold. 


	9. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was mostly an excuse to write some more naughty things (teehee) with a little drama thrown in right at the end. Enjoy!

Aada woke to find it still dark. She frowned. It wasn’t often she woke up in the middle of the night for no reason. Nothing seemed immediately amiss. She was about to write it off as nothing and roll over to go back to sleep when Loki groaned next to her. She peeked over her shoulder. He was dead asleep, but every few seconds his body twitched, head tossing back and forth against his pillow. 

 

“N-no I can’t-

 

He murmured, breath coming quicker now. 

 

Worried he was having a nightmare Aada shook his shoulder hard. 

 

“Loki. Loki wake up, it’s just a dream!”

 

His eyes flew open a moment later. He glanced around, confused for a moment before his eyes landed on Aada, mouth parting as a low moan slipped out. Even in the darkness she could see the red flush of his cheeks and quick rise and fall of his chest. Something clicked in her brain. Maybe it wasn’t a nightmare Loki had been having. Maybe it had been a  _ different _ kind of dream.  _ Oh Norns _ . 

 

“Sorry, um, you were groaning and shifting around and I-I thought you were having a nightmare,” she told him sheepishly. 

 

“No. No, not quite,” Loki admitted quietly, placing his hand timidly on Aada’s hip. 

 

Aada smiled as she reached out, curling her fingers around the back of his neck and pulling him close. She brushed her nose against his keeping just far enough way that their lips didn’t touch. 

 

“Was it about me?” she asked. 

 

Loki nodded, trying to lean forward to kiss her, but Aada pulled away before he could. 

 

“What was I doing?”

 

“I-I’m not going to tell you that,” Loki sputtered. 

 

“Why not?”

  
  


Loki just shook his head, trying to distract her with a kiss again. She dodged once more, rolling on top of him and straddling his hips. Loki stared up at her in shock, his hands instinctively coming to rest on her upper thighs. Aada trailed her fingers down his chest, fiddling with the hem of his sleep tunic before sliding her hands underneath it.

 

“Was I teasing you, here?” she asked, thumbs pressing over both of his nipples. Loki hummed, arching into her touch, huffing when she took her hands off him. She pressed gentle kisses to his throat, up to his ear. “Tell me,” she whispered. 

 

“No. I-I can’t-

 

“Mmm, you said that already,” she hummed. 

 

“What?” he asked. 

 

“While you were asleep.”

 

“Oh Norns,” Loki groaned, pressing his hands over his face. 

 

Aada grabbed his wrists, using her Asgardian strength to pin his arms above his head. Loki was breathing hard, staring up at her with hooded eyes, clouded with lust. 

 

“Y-You were...

 

“Yes?” Aada asked, one hand slipping back under his tunic to give his nipple a playful tweak, causing Loki to let out an indignant squeak.

 

“Youwereusingyourmouthtopleasureme,” Loki said in a rush, words jumbled together. 

 

“I didn’t quite catch that. One more time?” Aada prompted. 

 

Loki glared up at her. 

 

“I know you heard me,” he said rudely. 

 

Aada rolled her eyes.

 

“Need I remind you I’ve got you pinned to the bed right now? It might benefit you to be a little nicer to me.”

 

The blush on Loki’s cheeks darkened and he huffed. 

 

“I said...you were pleasuring me.”

 

“How?” Aada asked. 

 

“Y-you know how.”

 

Aada leaned down, running her tongue teasingly across Loki’s bottom lip, enjoying the shudder it brought from him. 

 

“Tell me,” she murmured, nipping at his mouth. 

 

“You are insufferable! With your mouth! Norns, are you satisfied? You’re so-

 

Aada cut him off, capturing his lips in a searing kiss. Loki kissed back, fighting Aada for control as he slid his tongue against hers. Aada felt him smirk at the moan he coaxed out of her. Oh not. Not tonight.  _ She _ was in charge. She pulled back from the kiss, ignoring his whine and wasting no time in pressing hot open mouthed kisses down his throat. 

 

She released her grip on his hands in favor of tugging his tunic up enough for her to kiss her way down his torso. Loki arched under her, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes in an attempt to calm himself. Aada nibbled at a hipbone, leaving a trail of kisses above the hem of his pants. 

 

“A-Aada. Are you going to...

 

He trailed off, staring down at her in awe and she undid the laces of his pants. Her eyes met his. After the time together in the bathing room they’d grown bolder. Hands slipping into pants, rocking against each other to completion. It occurred to her that she’d had her hand on Loki’s dick and she had never really gotten a good look at it. 

 

“Is this okay?” she asked. 

 

Loki nodded eagerly, making Aada smile. 

 

“I need to hear you say it. Consent is key.”

 

“Yes! Yes it’s okay, just,  _ please _ .”

 

With verbal permission she tugged his pants off his legs, not caring that she may have ripped them. It’s not like he didn’t have other pairs. Loki’s dick was long like the rest of him and thicker than she thought he would be, though she knew that already from the hurried handjob in the garden two days ago. He was hard and leaking and she was reminded that he had been worked up for quite some time now. It was likely this wasn’t going to last very long. 

 

Gripping the base, she gave a slow lick to the tip before sucking it into her mouth. Loki’s mouth dropped open as he gasped. It was clear he was trying not to buck up into her mouth. Aada draped a hand across his hips to hold him in place as she slid further down his length and then back up, swirling her tongue around the tip. 

 

“O-oh, Aada,” he groaned, his fingers tangling in her hair. He tugged lightly, something he had learned she liked from the bathtub incident, but didn’t try to push her any further. She appreciated that. Asgardian men often forgot their manners when it came to pleasure, even if they were bedding a princess. 

 

Loki’s breathing quickened as Aada picked up the pace, using her hand on what she couldn’t fit in her mouth and ignoring the ache in her jaw. She glanced up to look at Loki’s face, feeling a pang of arousal between her thighs at the sight. His mouth was hanging open, eyes squeezed shut. She watched a bead of sweat drip from his hairline down his chin. It sent a rush through her that she was the one reducing him to a trembling mess of a prince. 

 

“Aada, I c-can’t, ah! I’m-

 

Aada hummed around him and that was it, he was coming hard, choking on a moan as his hips twitched and his fingers tightened in her hair. She swallowed what she could, pulling off with a wet pop and using her thumb to wipe away what had dribbled down her chin. 

 

As soon as he recovered Loki was on her, pushing her flat onto her back on the bed and kissing the living daylights out of her, not caring that he could taste himself on her tongue. Aada giggled as he pressed kisses across her forehead and all over her cheeks. 

 

“You liked it then?” she teased. 

 

“Better than my dream,” he said earnestly, hurriedly tugging at her sleep pants so he could slip a hand inside, fingers easily finding her clit. Aada was thankful he was such a quick learner. The first time he's done this, she had placed his fingers where she wanted them and each time since, he remembered. 

 

Aada moaned softly, arching against him, clutching at the front of his tunic to drag him down for a kiss. He dodged her mouth, opting to sink his teeth into her neck instead, sucking at the skin to soothe the ache. 

 

“I-if you leave a mark, I’ll never hear the end of it,” she warned. 

 

“Don’t care. Perhaps it’ll make the maids quit gossipping about our supposedly boring sex life,” he said, grinning down at her before a curious look crossed his face.

 

“What is it?” Aada asked. 

 

“I want to try something.”

 

Before she could ask him what he was kissing down her still clothed torso and  _ oh  _ she understood what he meant to do when he nosed along the hem of her pants. 

 

“May I?” he asked. 

 

“Yes,” she breathed. 

 

Loki smirked up at her, dragging her pants from her legs and tossing them over his shoulder. He pressed teasing kisses to the inside of her thighs, nipping playfully and delighting in the way she shivered against him. 

 

“L-Loki,” she groaned. 

 

“Yes,” he asked innocently. 

 

“ _ Come on _ ,” she whined, twisting against the sheets. 

 

Loki huffed a quiet laugh, nipping her thigh once more before pressing his lips to her center, flicking her clit with his tongue. Aada gasped, gripping hard to the sheets as she rocked her hips against each stroke of his tongue. Like she said, he was a fast learner. 

 

Loki slipped his hands behind her knees, pushing them back against her chest as he pressed harder and slowly, almost lazily, pressed the flat of his tongue against her. Aada grabbed a handful of his hair and dragged him even closer, manners be damned. Loki didn’t seem to mind as he hummed, the vibrations sending jolt after jolt of pleasure through her. 

 

“Don’t stop, I-I’m almost...

 

She trailed off into a moan as he slid a finger into her, stroking in time with each flick of his tongue. She thanked every god in existence that she had taught Loki how to finger properly. The art was often lost on Asgardian men who thought simply thrusting their fingers in would do the trick. Really, didn’t they know the difference between stuffing a turkey and summoning a genie?

 

Her orgasm took her by surprise as Loki slipped a second finger in next to the first. She held his head firmly in place, rocking her hips through it as quiet gasps slipped past her lips. When she finished she collapsed against the bed, panting hard. Loki kissed his way back up her body, coming to rest beside her, tracing idle patterns across her stomach. 

 

“You seemed to enjoy that,” he said smugly. 

 

Aada gave him a weak shove. 

 

“Just remember who taught you what you know.”

 

Loki rolled his eyes, pulling Aada to his chest and pressing kisses to her hair. 

 

“Tell me a secret,” he said after a while. 

 

“What?”

 

“A secret. Tell me one. We are husband and wife after all.”

 

Aada thought for a moment, snuggling closer as she took one of Loki’s hands in hers. She kissed his palm before lacing their fingers together. 

 

“Adeline,” she said. 

 

“What?” Loki asked. 

 

“My real name. The one my mother gave me. It’s Adeline.”

 

“Adeline,” he said slowly, trying to name out on his tongue. “Why did you change it?”

 

“I didn’t. Odin did. It’s some derivative of an old, old name of some old royal. I don’t really know, but he thought it was more fitting for a princess of Asgard than a Midgardian name like Adeline. Not that Adeline is all that popular on Midgard. And now I’m rambling, sorry.”

 

Loki hushed her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He opened his mouth to say something but cut himself off with a yawn. Aada giggled. 

 

“That would be our cue to go to sleep. I’ll save my secret for another time.”

 

“Your secret?”

 

“Well yeah, now you owe me one.”

 

“Mmm, very well,” he said sleepily, burrowing into the pillows and wrapping his arms and a leg around Aada like an octopus. A really sexy octopus. Aada glanced up at his face. His eyes were closed and his breathing had already begun to steady. 

 

“I love you,” she said quietly. 

 

Loki’s eyes flew open.

 

“You _what_?” 


	10. Chapter Nine

Loki was avoiding her. It was subtle at first; claiming he was tired and returning to their bedchambers before her, spending more time than usual among the hundreds of shelves in the library. Then he started coming up with reasons to excuse himself every time they were alone together for more than ten minutes. He started getting up before her, long gone by the time she woke up to find herself alone. 

 

They still had to appear together at dinner each night, but even then he hardly spoke to her and ate quickly so he could leave early. It was starting to draw attention from Frigga, who asked if they had a fight. Aada had laughed and made some crack about how they were always bickering and it was nothing to worry about. But truth be told she was starting to worry. 

 

_ “I love you” _

 

_ Loki’s eyes flew open.  _

 

_ “You what?” _

 

_ Aada sat up slightly so she could look at his face, offering a small smile.  _

 

_ “I love you,” she said again, more sure of herself this time.  _

 

_ Loki gaped at her, mouth opening and closing like a fish. It would be funny under other circumstances. The silence between them was uncomfortable for the first time since the early days of their marriage.  _

 

_ “You don’t have to say it back. I just, wanted you to know,” Aada said quickly, untangling herself from where she was curled around Loki. She didn’t want him to feel how rapidly her heart was beating. Or how she was shaking with fear and adrenaline.  _

 

_ She had never said the words aloud to anyone outside her family. Not even to Val or the warriors three, or Sif, all of whom she cared for deeply. For the first time they didn’t get stuck in her throat when she tried to say them. For the first time she couldn’t bear to keep them inside.  _

 

_ “I’m sorry,” Loki said simply, “I-I...” he trailed off, eyes wide, pleading with her not to make him continue.  _

 

_ Aada shook her head, stroking his cheek gently before turning on her side away from him, unable to keep looking at him for fear she might cry. She felt the bed dip behind her as Loki shifted closer, tucking his knees behind hers and looping an arm around her waist. He buried his face against her neck, breathing her in, begging her to understand how much her words meant to him even if he couldn’t say them himself. Aada laced their fingers together and closed her eyes, but she knew sleep would not come easily.  _

 

_ When she woke in the late hours of the morning, she was alone.  _

 

“Let me see if I understand what you’re saying,” Val said, taking a long swig off her second bottle of mead before passing it to Aada. “You told him you loved him. He didn’t say it back. And now he’s avoiding you like a little bitch?”

 

Aada huffed a laugh, taking a smaller sip off the bottle than Val had before handing it over to Thor 

 

“More or less.”

 

“Have you tried talking to him?” Thor asked. 

 

Aada shot him a look. 

 

“How can I talk to him when he runs away everytime we’re in a room alone together? And seriously Thor, you need to get some new advice because the whole, have you tried talking to him thing, is getting old.”

 

Thor, ever the mature older sibling, plucked a grape from the fruit bowl and threw it at Aada’s forehead, quickly following it with two more. Val stepped in before Aada could retaliate, stealing the bowl and plunking down in a chair a safe distance away from them. 

 

“Offer him a blowjob next time he tries to leave. That’ll make him stay. Might even be the push he needs to tell you he loves you too,” Val suggested. 

 

“I don’t think that’ll help. It didn’t last time,” Aada grumbled. 

 

Thor spat his mouthful of mead all over the table. 

 

“I did not need to hear that!” he spluttered. 

 

“Oh please, like I haven’t heard countless stories of you getting caught with your head under a maiden’s skirt.”

 

“You are my baby sister. It’s different.”

 

“How is it different? You think I want to hear tales of your escapades anymore than you want to hear about mine? At least I’m married to the man I’m sleeping with,” Aada said, secretly enjoying the look of horror on her brother’s face. Served him right. 

 

It suddenly occurred to Aada that maybe the reason he hadn’t said it back was not because he was nervous, but because he didn’t love her. He cared about her, she knew that. He had told her as much, but what if that was it? Maybe his feelings weren’t as deep as hers. 

 

Thor must have noticed a change in her expression because he slid his chair closer to hers, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and tilting his head to rest against hers. 

 

“He loves you sister. That much is obvious. Do not for one second bring that into question,” he told her. 

 

Aada nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. Thor seemed sure of his words, but she wasn’t. She excused herself to get some fresh air, heading for the gardens. Mercifully they were empty and as she wound her way through the flowers she paused in front of a push of bright yellow roses. Loki had told her once they were his favorite. She smiled, reaching out and tracing her finger over the petals of a rose. They were were favorite too. 

 

“I thought I might find you here, my daughter.”

 

Aada turned to see Odin approaching, smiling warmly at her. 

 

“Father,” she greeted, bowing her head. 

 

Odin stared at her for a moment, tilting her chin up and studying her face. His brow furrowed in confusion. 

 

“You are sad.”

 

“It’s nothing,” Aada said, shaking her head. 

 

“I would have thought you would be happy on today of all days. And should you not be spending this day with your husband?” he asked. 

 

Aada blinked at him. 

 

“Why? What is today?”

 

Odin laughed, a big belly laugh. 

 

“Oh daughter of mine, have you forgotten? Today marks the one year anniversary of your marriage to Loki.”

 

Aada’s eyes widened. 

 

“I-I forgot,” she stuttered.

 

“Well, perhaps you and Loki have been a bit distant as of late,” he said knowingly. 

 

“You’ve noticed?”

 

“We all have. Do you want to talk about it?”

 

Aada shook her head. Telling Thor was one thing, but her father definitely didn’t need to know. 

 

“Alright. Just know that Frigga and I are here for you, should you need us. Though I trust things will work out on their own,” he told her, kissing her forehead before taking his leave. 

 

Aada sighed, turning back to look at the roses. Anniversary. With everything that had been happening it wasn’t surprising she forgot. She plucked a single rose, careful of the thorns, and headed to the library, where she knew Loki would be. She could only hope he didn’t run the moment he saw her. 

 

Loki was easy enough to find, sitting on the floor between two shelves filled with books on magic lore. Still Aada approached slowly, not wanting to startle him. Her plan was effectively ruined as she knocked into a stack of books, sending them toppling to the floor. Aada winced as Loki jumped and looked up with a startled look plastered on his face.

 

“Um, hi,” she said lamely. 

 

Loki was already scrambling to his feet and Aada could see the excuse on his lips. 

 

“Wait! D-don’t run. Please.”

 

She watched his eyes dart to the doors behind her but with effort he held himself in place, looking anywhere but at her. She took a few steps closer to him, relieved he didn’t try to move away, and brought the rose she was holding behind her back forward, offering it to him. Loki looked from the rose to her face, frowning. 

 

“You may not remember. I didn’t at first either, but it’s exactly a year since we got married today and I wanted to give you this,” she said, holding the rose out further. A small weight lifted from her as he accepted it. 

 

“Aada-

 

“It’s okay. It’s okay if you don’t...” she trailed off, unable to make her mouth form the words. “I’ll let you get back to your reading.”

 

She rushed out of the room, not caring that she was full on running as she felt the tears that had been threatening to spill over for what felt like two weeks now, begin to trickle down her cheeks. 

 

“Wait! Aada, wait!” Loki shouted behind her, running to catch her. 

 

Aada stopped only when he caught her arm just outside their bedchamber.

 

“Please let me-

 

“Not now. Please, not now. Not today,” she pleaded, pulling easily out of his hold and wrenching the doors of their chambers open. Her mouth dropped open. 

 

There were yellow roses everywhere. Vases so full they looked like they may burst. There were hundreds, some suspended in the air with magic. Even the bed was covered in flower petals. She turned to look at Loki, jaw still practically on the ground. 

 

“Happy anniversary,” Loki said quietly as he stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him. 

 

Aada sniffled, tears flowing even faster now as she threw herself at Loki, giving him a hard shove backwards. 

 

“Aada what-

 

“You stupid bastard!” she cried, gripping the front of his vest and slamming him back against the wall. “You’ve been ignoring me for two weeks! I thought, y-you let me think that you didn’t,” she dissolved into full on sobs but her hold on his didn’t loosen. 

 

Loki’s fingers circled her wrists, tugging her to him and kissing her soundly. Aada whined in annoyance against his lips, pulling away to swat half heartedly at his chest as she took in big gulps of air and tried to calm down. 

 

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I know I could have handled this better,” Loki said, thumbs rubbing soothing circles on her wrists. 

 

“You’re goddamn right you could have.”

 

“I know! I know, okay? But y-you took me by surprise. I never thought anyone would feel anything as deep as love for me. You said it so easily, as if it were a normal thing to bring up in regular conversation. I wanted to say it every time we were together afterward. At first I was scared and then I realized I wanted it to be more romantic than yours had been because really who confesses their feelings after giving someone a blowjob. But the longer I waited  the more it seemed I would need to make a truly grand gesture to make it up to you and I knew our anniversary was coming up. I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I swear. ”

 

Aada watched as Loki struggled to breathe when he finished his tangent. He looked pained and apprehensive and she couldn’t help but step closer, kissing his cheek softly. One kiss turned into two and then she was peppering his face with kisses as he let out a breath against her and pulled her closer. 

 

“You big stupid romantic idiot,” she huffed between kisses. 

 

Loki cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him.

 

“I love you,” he said earnestly. “There. That’s how you make a proper confession. You should take notes.”

 

Aada smiled up at him. It was so Loki. Taking it so seriously and making it his personal goal to have a better confession than her. Bastard. 

 

“I love you too. So much,” she whispered, pressing him harder against the wall as she brought her lips to his. 

 

The kiss turned heated quickly, as it usually did between the two of them. Moulded against him like this, Aada could feel the hard lines and angles of his body. She moaned softly when Loki’s fingers tangled in the curls at the nape of her neck, using his grip to tilt her head slightly so he could deepen the kiss. It was overwhelming, kissing with such  unabashed desire. As Loki began to trail kisses down her jaw, she tucked her face into the crook of his neck, breathing him in. Despite the room being full of roses all she could smell was dust from the library and the citrus bath oil Loki was fond of. She felt him tremble against her as she licked a slow trail up the side of his neck, not stopping until she reached his ear. 

 

“What do you want?” she whispered, taking the lobe between her teeth. 

 

“Anything,” Loki groaned. “ _ Everything _ .”

 

Aada pulled back abruptly to stare at him. Loki stared back, unwavering. 

 

“Are you sure?” she asked, toying with the hem of Loki’s vest. Loki caught her wrists, bring them to his lips and pressing soft kisses to her cool skin. 

 

“I’m sure.”

 

“Is this also part of your grand gesture?” she teased. 

 

Loki blushed. 

 

“Perhaps.”

 

“Then by all means, take what is yours so that I may take what is mine,” she whispered, pulling him down into a filthy kiss that left them both breathless. 

 

“Now who’s being romantic? See? You have learned a thing or two from me,” Loki said, grinning down at her once he had caught his breath. 

 

Aada rolled her eyes, silencing whatever else he may have to say by scooping him into her arms, simply because she could, and tossing him onto the bed. Loki landed with a quiet “oof,” staring up at her in surprise. 

 

“I forget how strong you are.”

 

“Hmm, you would do well to remember,” she mused, crawling over him and easily pinning his arms above his head as she attacked his mouth once more. 

 

Loki arched his hips up against her, desperate for friction, but Aada shifted her own hips so she was just out of reach. He whined into the kiss, struggling against the hold she had one him. Aada broke the kiss to stare down at her prince who was already looking utterly debauched and they were still fully clothed.

 

“Do you think you can hold out long enough for me to at least get our clothes off?” she asked, arching a brow. 

 

Loki glared up at her, cheeks flushing even darker, but nodded. 

 

“Yes. Provided you get a move on,” he grumbled. 

 

Aada tutted at him, releasing her hold on his wrists so she could work the clasps of his vest open. She laughed when Loki reached forward to undo the laces of her tunic, swatting his hands away. 

 

“Your clothes are more complicated than mine and if you try to work mine off at the same time you’ll just slow me down. Let me take care of you and then I promise you can undress me as quickly or as slowly as you would like. Okay?”

 

Loki nodded and reluctantly lay back against the pillows to watch Aada undress him. It was true. Loki had taken to Asgard fashion relatively soon after his arrival and recently he’d started sporting complex tunics and vests with countless clasps. Normally Aada enjoyed his clothing choices, but right now she wanted him naked and the hooks were proving to be difficult. She grumbled something under her breath, making Loki chuckle. 

 

“Do you need assistance?” he offered. 

 

“No! I’m half goddess for fuck sake, I should be able to figure this out.”

 

She stubbornly kept at it, crying out in triumph when she finally had both his vest and tunic removed. Then of course there was the matter of his pants. So tight he may as well have painted them on. 

 

“Why do you insist on wearing  these?” she asked, tugging on them without the use of her true strength. They were one of Loki’s favorite pairs. She didn’t think he would take too kindly to them being ripped from his legs. Loki just laughed, wiggling his hips a little to help her. Once she finally had him free she leaned forward and pressed a teasing kiss just below his navel.

 

“Oh no you don’t,” Loki flipped them over before Aada could protest (not that she would have). 

 

He pulled her loose tunic over her head with ease, his eyes landing on her bare chest. 

 

“Nothing underneath?” he asked, arching a brow. Aada nibbled her bottom lip as he traced a finger above the waistband of her leggings. “What about under here?”

 

“Why don’t you find out?” she challenged. 

 

Loki’s eyes were almost predatory as he began tugging her leggings down, grimacing when he realized it was going to take a bit of effort. 

 

“You are no longer allowed to make comments about my pants when you wear these,” he grumbled. 

 

“You would prefer I wore dresses?”

 

Loki thought for a moment. 

 

“No. Perhaps they would be easier to remove, if they needed removing at all, but the leggings-

 

“Make my ass look great?” she finished. 

 

Loki glared at her. 

 

“Why do you ask questions if you already know what my answer will be?”

 

Aada shrugged, arching her hips up to remind Loki of the task at hand. He got the leggings the rest of the way off, tossing them over his shoulder as he stared down at Aada, fully naked before his eyes for the first time. Well...for the first time without copious amounts of bubbles blocking his view. He trailed his fingers lightly around each of her breasts, brushing his thumbs over her nipples, watching as they pebbled under his touch. Aada arched against him, her own hands reaching up to cup his face and drag him in for a slow kiss. Loki broke away to breathe, then kissed her once, twice, three times before laying himself over her, stroking Aada’s hair back from her face. 

 

“How do you want this?” Aada asked. 

 

“I-I don’t know. Perhaps you should lead?” he asked nervously. 

 

Aada nodded, pressing one last kiss to his lips before shoving at his shoulder until he got the hint and rolled onto his back. She flung a leg over him, bracketing his hips with her thighs. She watched his throat bob as she reached between them, stroking him until his thighs began to quake. 

 

“Aada  _ please _ ,” Loki begged.

 

“You’ll tell me if it’s too much? If you don’t like it?”

 

“Yes. Yes I promise, just  _ do _ something, please. I-

 

Aada hushed him, running her hands down his side and rubbing slow soothing circles on his hip bones. Loki swallowed hard. 

 

“I’m nervous,” he admitted.

 

Taking one of his hands in hers, Aada pressed it over her own heart so he could feel how fast it was beating. 

 

“Me too,” she whispered. 

 

“But you’ve, I mean, you’ve done this before,” Loki said, confused

 

“Never with someone I loved.”

 

Loki smiled softly up at her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. Aada took that as her cue, taking him in hand again and shifting her hips against him. She kept her eyes trained on his face as she slowly sunk down. Loki’s eyes fluttered shut, his mouth dropping open and his brow furrowing almost as if he were in pain. 

 

“Are you okay?” Aada asked softly. 

 

“I feel I should be the one asking you that,” he groaned, blushing and hiding his face in his hands. 

 

Aada shook her head, smiling affectionately at her silly husband before leaning forward. Loki gasped, crossing his arms fully over his face as Aada began to rock her hips, setting a slow rhythm. She knew how first times could be. Frantic and over before they truly started. She was determined to keep it unhurried, but Loki wasn’t helping her resolve with the small sounds that kept slipping past his lips. 

 

“Let me see your face,” she said. 

 

Loki shook his head, huffing in annoyance when she slowed the rolling of her hips even more. Her impatience won out in the end as she hauled Loki’s hands away from his face, pinning his wrists to the bed. She would never tire of the look on his face everytime she did that. His eyes were hooded, pupils blown wide with lust, cheeks tinged red and mouth parted as he pulled in each ragged breath. She grinned naughtily down at him, rolling her hips in earnest and moaning softly, her grip on his wrists going slack in her distraction. 

 

Something snapped in Loki and he took full advantage of her distraction, tugging his wrists out of her grip and sitting up to wrap his arms around her back. Aada squeaked when he began to rock his hips up into her in time with each roll of her hips. 

 

“I k-knew you were gonna be a s-show off in bed,” Aada stuttered as Loki picked up the pace, nipping at her neck while one of his hands snaked between them so he could thumb at her clit. 

 

“You don’t seem to mind,” he teased, ending with a choked off moan as his hips began to stutter. “T-though I don’t think I c-can last much longer.”

  
  


Aada hummed in acknowledgement, kissing him soundly and winding her fingers through his long black hair. Loki groaned against her lips, thumb quickening against her clit like he was determined to get her off before he let go. Knowing Loki, Mr. I’m secretly good at everything, he would succeed. Aada pulled away from the kiss with a soft cry, hands tightening in Loki’s hair as her orgasm shook through her. Loki let himself go as soon as he felt Aada quaking against him, hiding his face in her neck and whining with the aftershocks of his own orgasm. 

 

They collapsed against each other in a sweaty heap, lazily curling around each other as they caught their breath. 

 

“W-we’re going to have to do that again,” Loki panted. 

 

Aada laughed sleepily. 

 

“You’re insatiable. Why am I not surprised?”

 

“Mmm,” Loki hummed, nuzzling into her hair and already trailing a hand down between her legs, before he froze. "It's snowing!”

 

Aada frowned, thinking she had misheard him. 

 

“What?” she asked. 

 

“Look up.”

 

Aada looked up at the ceiling to find that it was, in fact, snowing. 

 

“That’s...odd,” she mused. 

 

“Your hands!” Loki said. 

 

Aada glanced down to see her hands glowing blue. The same glow that appeared when she was healing someone. It slowly engulfed her whole body, tingling across her skin before it disappeared, leaving no trace. The snow disappeared along with it. 

 

“Oh my god,” Aada said, sitting bolt upright. 

 

“What? What is it?”

 

“I’m a goddess!”

 

Loki blinked at her. 

 

“Well yes, but didn’t we know that already?” he asked, arching an eyebrow incredulously. 

 

“No you ass, I mean, I have goddess powers. Seriously! It took having sex with my husband for them to manifest?”

 

“Fitting that you have power over snow. Goddess of snow. It suits you,” Loki said, grinning and tugging her back against him. 

 

It all clicked into place. Her cold healing magic. The blue aura. The reason her skin was always cold. And she was married to a frost giant. Oh Norns, the God's clearly had a sense of humor. Aada snapped her fingers, making a small cloud appear, light flurries of snow swirling above their heads .

 

“Cool,” she breathed. 

 

“Yes,” Loki agreed, smirking as he rolled on top of her, “ _Cool_.”


	11. Chapter 10/Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end guys! Thank you so much for sticking with it and I hope you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for my next two fics that will go hand in hand :)

Aada’s family was thrilled that her powers had manifested...until it started snowing in random places around the castle throughout the day. It was expected of course that she would not have full control of her powers yet. When Thor’s lightning had manifested (long before Aada came to live on Asgard) they’d had to outfit everyone with armor to protect them from unexpected lightning strikes. Aada was quick to remind Thor of this when he teased her about all the snow. 

 

“At least snow is harmless,” she said, flinching when a pile of snow landed on a serving maiden’s head, making her drop the stack of linens she was carrying and sending her to the ground. Oops. Thor roared with laughter but was quick to help the maiden to her feet. 

 

“You were saying, sister?” he asked, still chuckling as he watched the maiden hurry down the hallway. 

 

Aada groaned, hiding her face in her hands. 

 

“Oh come now, it’s not so bad. There has been a heat wave as of late. The unexpected snow drifts are not exactly unwelcome,” Thor told her, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. He frowned, his hold on her shoulder tightening for a moment before his eyes widened. 

 

“Thor what-

 

“YOU’RE PREGNANT!” he bellowed. 

 

Everyone around them stopped what they were doing to turn and stare. Aada’s mouth dropped open.

 

“What? How do you know?” she asked. 

 

“Did you forget I am also the God of fertility?” he asked, letting out a full belly laugh as he pulled her in for a bear hug, picking her up and swinging her around. “Oh I knew it was only a matter of time! Perhaps now you and Loki will cease having sex in random places around the palace. Please. For all our sakes.”

 

Aada smacked his chest as he put her down, blushing a bit. Just three days ago Thor had accidentally stumbled upon she and Loki having what could only be described as some very athletic sex against one of the stone walls in the garden. Perhaps not her best plan, but it was totally worth it. 

 

“Are you sure? I mean, am I really-

 

“Yes sister. You really are,” Thor said, grinning at her. 

 

Aada smiled, running a hand over her stomach. 

 

“I should probably find Loki and tell him before someone else beats me to it.”

 

She took off running down the hall, ignoring Thor’s shouting after her not to overexert herself during this “delicate time.” 

 

Loki was, as always, in the library. He had taken a break from the books and was practicing making things float when Aada burst in, making him lose his concentration as the books he was levitating crashed to the floor. 

 

“Aada what-

 

“I’m pregnant!” she cried, tackling him to the floor. 

 

“Y-You’re what?” Loki asked, brushing her curls back from her face. 

 

“Pregnant. Thor told me.”

 

“Thor? How does he know?”

 

“Fertility God. Everyone forgets because the thunder is much more ostentatious.”

 

“So you’re really, I mean, we’re having a-

 

“Baby. Yeah,” she said, smiling down at him. Loki stared up at her. Aada’s face fell. “I thought you’d be happy. A-are you...” she trailed off, unsure how to finish. Loki hushed her, leaning up and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. 

 

“I  _ am _ happy. I was merely pondering your delivery. You screamed at me and tackled me to the floor. Did you not learn from the whole, I love you, debacle on our anniversary? What happened to being romantic?” he teased. 

Aada laughed, locking her arms around his neck and peppering his face with kisses. 

 

“Take it easy you two. She’s already pregnant, give it a rest already.”

 

They looked up to see Thor smirking at them from the doorway. Aada flipped him the bird, a gesture she’d brought from Midgard when she first arrived and had proceeded to teach Thor about so they could flip each other off and their parents would have no idea what it meant. 

 

“Better close your eyes Thor, we’ve got some celebrating to do,” she said, leaning down to kiss the living daylights out of Loki who laughed against her mouth when he heard the door to the library slam shut. 

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

_ Nine(ish) Months Later _

 

“What do you mean I can’t hold her? She’s my niece!”

 

Aada rolled her eyes as Thor chased Loki around the garden, trying to get him to relinquish his hold on his daughter. 

 

“You’ll crush her you great oaf,” Loki snarled, dodging the God of thunder yet again when he reached for the baby. 

 

“I’ll do no such thing. I’ll be careful.”

 

Loki opened his mouth to protest but Aada cut him off. 

 

“Come on, love. Let him hold her,” she said gently. 

 

Very reluctantly Loki handed the baby to Thor, standing close by just in case. Thor blinked down at the baby girl, who blinked back at him, reaching up and giving his beard a harsh tug. Loki snickered. 

 

“I see she takes after you,” Thor grumbled, glaring at his brother in law. “She has your eyes.” 

 

Aada smiled. It was true. She looked like both of them. Loki’s eyes but Aada’s bright red hair, and freckles. She wasn’t quite blue, more of a light shade of lilac. She was beautiful. 

 

“What’s her name?” Thor asked. 

 

“Runa,” Loki said, “and I’d like her back now if you wouldn’t mind.”

 

Thor sighed, handing his niece back to her father. He watched as Loki settled in next to Aada, the two of them staring lovingly at their daughter. 

 

“You see sister, I told you marrying a Jotun would work out.”

 

Aada smiled, leaning against Loki’s shoulder as he turned to kiss her forehead. For once, Thor was right. Everything had worked out. It was hard to believe that someone who had vexed her so much had become her best friend, lover, confidant, and-

 

“Did I tell you how she told me she was pregnant? She burst into the library, screamed it at me and-

 

Aada sighed. 

 

Still a pain in the ass. 


End file.
